Cambridge United prolific striker Sam Smith said he 'had a great time' at Reading, owing a lot of his career to the development he received.

Joining the Royals from Manchester United in 2014, the centre-forward spent seven years in RG2, scoring twice in 11 appearances for the first team.

Enjoying six loan spells too, including a temporary stint at current club Cambridge, it was not until his full time switch to the Abbey Stadium where he found his scoring boots.

Earning a nomination for League One Player of the Month, with four goals in five matches in August, he won the inaugural Love Cambridge Player of the Month award – as voted for by the club’s supporters.

Looking back at key moments of his career with the Cambrdige Independent, his education in Berkshire came up.

"Eamonn Dolan (academy manager), who sadly died a few years ago, was influential in the academy and he helped me massively," he explained. "He made me feel welcome and I ended up having a great time there. I owe a lot to the people there.”

Making his debut under Manchester United legend Jaap Stam, it was a moment to remember for the boyhood Red Devil.

"I was 19 at the time but he really helped me to understand the game and my position. I learned a lot from him.”

Stam was sakced in spring 2018, struggling to adapt after a third place finish the season before.

Carlo Ancelotti's right-hand man, Paul Clement, came in after Stam and it marked the beginning of the end for Smith.

“When I broke through into the first team in my first season at Reading, I came back and there was a new manager,” he said.

“At the time he (Clement) wanted experience up front. I just wanted games so I had a lot of loans – some good, some bad. But it was a lot of learning and it helped to build my character. Everything I learned from those loans helped to kick my game on."

Kick on he has done, hitting 21 goals last season and already on his way to a successful one this campaign.